The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of
pumpkin seeds feeding on the serum lipid profile and c-reactive protein
in rats developed atherosclerosis through an atherogenic diet .
Male Wistar rats were divided into two main groups , control
and atherogenic groups , each group composed of three subgroups ,
each consisted of ten rats. Groups were categorized as follow :
Group 1. Rats were kept on a standard laboratory diet only.
Group2. Rats were kept on a standard laboratory diet and supplemented
with 2% Arginine in drinking water .
Group 3. Rats were kept on a standard laboratory diet and
supplemented with pumpkin seeds ( 43% w/w) , that was equivalent to
2% arginine .
Group 4. Rats were kept on an atherogenic diet only.
Group 5. Rats were kept on an atherogenic diet and supplemented with
2% Arginine in drinking water .
Group 6. Rats were kept on an atherogenic diet and supplemented with
pumpkin seeds ( 43% w/w) , that equivalent to 2% arginine.
Supplementation continued for eight weeks .
Results of this study showed that rats supplemented an
atherogenic diet with pumpkin seeds showed a significant decrease (
p<0.001 ) in their total cholesterol serum concentrations and low
density lipoprotein cholesterol serum concentrations as they were
dropped from 4.89 mmol /L to 2.55 mmol /L and from 3.33 mmol /L to
0.70 mmol / L respectively.
HDL-C serum concentrations were also significantly elevated
(p<0.001) in the same group. Although rats supplemented an
atherogenic diet with 2% arginine in drinking water showed significant
increase (p < 0.001) in HDL-C serum concentration, however no
significant changes were observed in their total cholesterol serum
concentrations and LDL – C serum concentrations.
Findings of the present investigation concluded that the feeding
of rats an atherogenic diet with pumpkin seeds significantly decreases
TC serum concentrations (p<0.001 ) and LDL-C serum concentrations
(p<0.001).This findings suggests that pumpkin seeds supplementation
has a protective role on atherosclerosis and this protective role is not
belonging to the high arginine concentrations in pumpkin seeds .